Thread retainer and saver



Feb, 7, E95 A. H. .JOHNSON 2,496,945

THREAD RETAINER AND SAVER Filed Nov. l2, 1947 Inventor /fr HodsonJohnson Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES* PATENT GFFICE f j l2,496,945

vTHREAD ND SAVER lAlfred Hudson olinsonrDowney, Calif. ApplicationNovember 12, 1947, Serial No. 785,412 I Needless to say, and as theintroductory state-ald ment of the invention implies, I am suilicientlyconversant with the prior state of the art to recognize that all sortsof spool attachments have been adopted and used by competitors and rivalinventors, including shields, protectors, thread-1.15 end grippingdevices and holders, and the like.

"Therefore, in carrying out the principles of the present invention, Ihave evolved and produced a simple and expedient attachment which is inthe nature of a spring metal yoke, the limbs of-1a20 into the adjacentend of the bore 6 and serves vto clamp this end of the device on thespool. .There is a similar laterally bent end portion or limb i2 .fat-thel opposite end of the spool which has a bend the yoke engagingover the ends or heads ofthe spool, and the intermediate or bightportions being constructed to provide the desired clamping or grippingaction for the free end of the thread, More explicitly, in carrying outthe prin ..;25 ciples of the invention I provide a substantiallyU-shaped resilient metal strap which has a return bend, the latter beingsubstantially L- shaped and the U-shaped and L-shaped portions beingjoined by spring means which provides theA necessary tension betweenparts so that the thread accommodation apertures in the 'respectivecoacting parts are normally held out of alignment to grip and hold thethread, but maybe,

by slight pressure, moved into alignment-to permit the thread to befreely pulled therethrough for threading needles and the like.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying illustrativedrawings. Y

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional. spool of cotton, withthe thread saver attach ment in place thereon. v

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional. view through the structureseen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the plane o the line 3--3 of Figurel, looking in the direction of the arrows. -1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective yiew showing coactingbayonet-slots and complemental notch forming self-threading means and,il-555 6 Claims.` Cl.

' the thread.

lustrating the initial handling of the free end Figure 5 is acorresponding perspective showingv the next and vilnal threading steps.

Figure 6is a fragmentary perspective with the relatively shiftable limbsseparated to better disl close the pilot notch and bayonet slots.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, thespool, which is conventional, is denoted by the numeral 5, and includesthe usual central bore 6. The cotton lor thread T is wound on the spooland the free'end, the end which is to be releasably gripped and held'against displacement, is denoted bythe numera18.

The attachment, as before stated, is formed from resilient strap metal.There is one section of the metal which is of U-shaped form and this isdenoted by the numeral 9 and comprises a limb I0 having an olset bend IIat one end which ts I3 fitting into said bore 6, whereby this end of theU'shaped part 9 is releasably held in place. The connective or bightportion of said U-shaped meral I6 and is fashioned from the same .lengthof strap metal. That is to say, the lower limb L1 is integrally joinedwiththelimb I2 by way of the adaptor I3, the lattervpart serving notonly-y as an assembling element but aspring as well. The limb I'I isbent, as at I8, to provide the nal vand remaining limb I9,.which is .inslidablecontact with the limb I4. The extremity of thelimb I9 is bentlaterally as at 20, to `provide a tang and this is operable in a slot 2|in the limb I Il, in the manner shown. vIt will be noticed that theshiftg able limb I9 is provided with assembling hooks 22 and 23, whichtake over and thus slidably assemble the respective limb portions I4 andI9.

VIn addition, the limb I9 is provided with an outstruck tongue 24,which, if desired, may be used y as va thread cutter.

It will be evident from the description, so. far

given, in conjunction with'thedrawings that the =attachment,structurally visualized is aU -shape'd frame and is readily applicableand removable.

-What is more important, the intermediate. overlapping portions of therelatively shiftablelimbs I4 and I9'are especially constructedwith'aperture means` to vfrictionally grip the freenendgf Athe threadbut may the slot 25 where it is guided by the finger the thread, toallow it to be released and pulled when unspooling and frictionallygripped and held against unwinding when the spool is not in use. Inaddition, the aperture means 1s such that it is virtuallyself-threading. Reference is had iirst to Figure 6 wherein it will beseen that there are two bayonet slots. The slot in the limb i4 isdenoted by the numeral 25, the entrance edge 26 being registerable witha pilot notch 21. The finger portion of the notch is denoted at 28 andthe crotch portion at 29. Arranged in somewhat reverse order is abayonet slot 3|] in the other shiitable limb I9 whose finger portion isdenoted by the numeral 3l and whose crotch portion is at 32.

action of the limbs |brings portions 29v and 32 into the positions shownfor example in Figures 1, 2 and 4. At this time said crotch portions areselves, a so-called thread hole in which the thread is frictionallygripped and held against slippage. Thus, the slots act primarily to gripbe shifted in relation to each other when the attachment is squeezed tomove the crotch portions 29 and 32 away .from each other sufficientlyfar to allow the thread to be freely drawn through said hole. When thethread is `initially placed in position it is seated in the pilot notch21 and then fed vdown over the entrance edge 26 into the mouthportionzcf lafter Vwhich it is drawn between the two limbs 'H and i9 inthe Amarmer shown. This first step is illustrated in Figure 4 and thesecond 'Figures 5 and 4 respectively vare reversed.

The `invention is relatively simple and for this vreason it is believednot altogether necessary to 'dwell at great length upon the details ofconstruction, for these phases are clear from the drawings.

A careful consideration of the foregoing -de- Vscription in conjunctionwith the invention as :illustrated in the drawings will enable thereader 'to 'obtain a clear understanding and impression of the allegedfeatures of merit and novelty `suiiicient to clarify the construction ofthe invention `as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts maybe resorted to in actual practice so long asno departure is made -romthe invention as claimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A spool attachment of the class shown and '.,described comprising aresilient one-piece U- shaped member embodying a central bight portionand laterally disposed iiexible end vportions terminating in attachingand retaining adapters designed, when in position for use, to projectinto co-acting end portions of the usual bore of' a spool, said bightportion having a threadend receiving and gripping slot opening at oneend and extending laterally through one longitudinal edge of said 'bightportion, a latch formling umh superimposed upon and sudabiy con-Normally the spring` the respective crotch 5 wherein the thread isformed, between them- 4 nected to said bight portion, said limb alsohaving a thread-end receiving and gripping slot in registry with saidfirst named slot and opening at one end and extending laterally througha. longitudinal edge of said limb, said limb having a ringer-piece atone end for manually sliding the limb and shifting the slots in relationto each other, and spring means between and connected with said U-shapedmember and iingerfpiece, said spring means .serving to retain said 'limbnormally in a position to sustain said slots in thread grippingrelationship.

2. A spool attachment of the class shown vand described comprising aresilient one-piece U-shaped member embodying a central bight portionvand laterally disposed flexible end portions .terminating in attachingand retaining adapters designed, when in position for use, to projectinto co-acting end portions of the usual bore of a spool, said bightportionY having a thread-end receiving and gripping slot opening 'at^one `endand extending laterally through one longitudinal edge of saidbight portion, a latch forming limb superimposed upon and slidably4connected to said bight portion, said limb also having a thread-endreceiving and gripping slot 'in registry with said first named slot andopening -at one end and lextending laterally through a longitudinal edgeof said limb, said limb having `a, {ringer-'piece at one endfor-manually sliding the .limb and shifting vthe slots in relation toeach other, said finger-piece being at right angles to lsaid latch limb,spaced from and parallel to the yadjacent lateral end portion of saidU-shaped Amember, and spring rmeans joining said iinger- 4piece to saidllateral end portion, whereby said limb is normally sustained in aposition wherein corresponding closed end portions only of said `slotsoverlap and serve to frictionally grip said thread-end.

3. The structure defined in claim l, wherein thatledge -oi .the limbthrough which the second named slot opens is provided with a thread-end,placement .and guiding notch, the latter being normally in .registrywith the open end of the first namedslot.

4. A -spool attachment of the class shown -and described comprising aresilient one-piece U-.shaped member embodying a central bight -oportionand laterally disposed iiexible end .portions terminating in attachingand retaining .adapters designed, when in position for use, to

project into co-acting end portions of the usual rbore of a spool, saidbight portion being provided intermediate its ends with a bayonet slotwith its open 'end opening laterally through one longitudinal edge ofsaid bight portion, a latch formingl'rmb superimposed upon and slidablyjoined V.to said bight 4portion and provided at one end 'with a threadcutter, at its opposite end with ,-a lateral finger-piece opposed to andspaced in .parallelism to the corresponding lateral end portion of said.U-shaped member and having spring connection with said lateral endportion,

. saidlimb also having a centrally located bayonet `slot whose 'open endopens laterally through a longitudinal edge of the limb, the respectiveciosed ends of Vsaid bayonet slots being normally in registry with eachother, and said longitudinal edge of the limb having a thread-endreceiving 'and piloting notch in registry with the open end of said rstnamed bayonet slot.

'5. A spool attachment of the class shown and described comprising aone-piece structural assemblage fashioned from a single length of strapmetal, one end portion of said strap being bent upon itself andproviding a readily applicable and removable U-shaped member, the otherend portion being bent upon itself to provide an L-shaped member, saidU-shaped member embodying a central bight portion and lateral endportions, one end portion terminating in a bend which is laterallyoffset and functions as an adapter to t into an end portion of the boreof a spool, the other lateral end portion terminating in an offset bendand said bend constituting an adapter to fit into said bore and alsofunctioning as a yieldable spring, the short limb of said L-shapedmember being attached to said spring and disposed in spaced parallelismin relation to the adjacent end portion of the U-shaped member, thelonger limb being disposed in overlapping relation with the bightportion and being slidably connected to said bight portion, said bightportion and longer limb having registerable apertures for passage of afree end portion of the thread on said spool.

6. A spool attachment of the class shown and described comprising aone-piece structural assemblage fashioned from a single length of strapmetal, one end portion of said strap being bent upon itself andproviding a readily applicable and removable U-shaped member, the otherend portion being bent upon itself to provide an L-shaped member, saidU-shaped member embodying a central bight portion and lateral endportions, one end portion terminating in a bend which is laterallyoffset and functions as an adapter to fit into an end portion of thebore 6 of a spool, the other lateral end portion terminating in anoffset bend and said bend constituting an adapter to fit into said boreand also functioning as a yieldable spring, the short limb of saidL-shaped member being attached to said spring and disposed in spacedparallelism in relation to the adjacent end portion of the U-shapedmember, the longer limb being disposed in overlapping relation with thebight portion and being slidably connected to said bight portion, saidbight portion and longer limb having registerable apertures for passageof a free end portion of the thread on said spool, the first-namedlateral end portion of said U-shaped member being provided

